Shopping malls are an often-overlooked location for workplace violence. Because working with the general public comes with many inherent risks, an incident response plan is a must. For this reason, an Alert system from CRS Notify would be an essential supplement for any incident response plan.

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Why Use an Alert System for Shopping Malls?

The reason for this is two-fold. First off, a shopping mall could have many people working in one place, or it could have just a few. Either way, the threat of workplace violence is paramount in this kind of situation, whether it is a co-worker dispute or an active gunman making their way into the building.

Another reason to use an alert system for shopping malls is in case of threats. We, unfortunately, hear of dangers of this kind of nature every day. It is sometimes hard to tell which threats are real and which threats are empty. For this reason, the use of an alert system from CRS Notify is essential.

The CRS Notify alert system for shopping malls connects directly to 911 via E911 platform integration. In other words, police are alerted immediately in the event of an alert being raised. This cuts down on the response time when seconds matter the most in an emergency.

What is the Benefit of an Alert System for Shopping Malls?

One reason an alert system for shopping malls would be useful would be to contact others within a short distance. Perhaps an employee feels uneasy about an unruly client at the shopping mall. The employee could raise a low alert, letting colleagues know of the incident as it unfolds.

Another reason an alert system for shopping malls would be useful would be in the case of imminent danger to staff. A high alert should only be raised if it is safe to do so. Again, the E911 platform integration dramatically cuts down on the response time when seconds matter the most.

There are a few recent incidents of workplace violence in malls, but one happened on November 2, 2005. Dominick Maldonaldo, 20, of Tacoma, Washington, opened fire in the Tacoma Mall before taking hostages inside a store. Reports state that he had an extensive juvenile record and had an order against him not to own weapons.

How to Keep Safe While Working in a Shopping Mall

Unfortunately, threats at a shopping mall are a part of the job. There is no way to figure out a way to sift out the empty threats from those that are legit. An excellent way to help in this context is to keep up with every threat that happens. The use of low alerts from CRS Notify software would be beneficial in this kind of situation as well.

An incident response plan should also be in place. What should staff do in case of a threat over the phone? Should they raise a low alert, alerting a supervisor to the situation? Or should they keep up with a list of these situations? What about in case of an active gunman? Should the shopping mall staff shelter in place, or should they make their way out the door?

An alert system from CRS Notify would definitely help in this kind of situation, but it is useless if the staff does not know how or when to use it! For this reason, the alert system would be an excellent supplement to any kind of incident response plan.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an alert system for shopping malls is an excellent addition to any incident response plan. The E911 platform integration dramatically cuts down on response time during an emergency when seconds matter the most. The CRS Notify alert system for shopping malls will help anyone in the who works in a shopping mall feel safe while doing their everyday job.

Still Unsure About an Alert System?

Contact us for more information to make the best decision for your alert system.